This past year was an excellent season for several youngsters, players 21 years old and younger. Italian Jannik Sinner, just 20, was very impressive, with four titles in 2021, including Washington (Citi Open), an ATP 500 tournament. Sinner began the season ranked No.36 and finished at No.10. As first alternate for the Nitto ATP Finals, he replaced the injured Matteo Berrettini, delighting the Italian crowd by winning his match vs Hubert Hurkacz. With a strong team, headed by experienced coach Riccardo Piatti, Jannik continues to work hard, and said his immediate goals are to improve physically, as well as to improve his serve and comfort at the net. He stands an excellent chance of making the ATP Finals in 2022.
The top players in the Race to Milan represented a variety of countries. The USA had three – Sebastian Korda, Jenson Brooksby and Brandon Nakashima, which is very encouraging for American tennis. Italy had two, Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti, as well as Argentina with Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Sebastian Baez. Added to those names are Danish player Holger Rune, who is just 18, and the aforementioned FAA and Alcaraz. With so many talented youngsters tennis fans have much to look forward to in the coming years.
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| Novak Jokovic and Barbara Krejcikova |
In her words - Watchword "Resilience" - Trinigirl
Thinking of my wishes/hopes for players and their 2022 season I took a look in the rear view mirror at 2021. My watchword for 2021 has been and is Resilience.
“Resilience - the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness"
Well am not sure about the "quickly" part but on so many levels 2021 can be characterized as a year of resilience. Resilience in the face of a persistent enemy that we can’t see, but surely we have seen the effects of its persistence and resilience. Kudos to all of us whether we are a tennis player, a fan, a doctor, a nurse, a teacher, a parent, a first responder, a sibling, a friend, a store clerk – we found a way to push forward, believing and insisting that we find a new normal. Even as I type this the world is bracing for the newest virus threat - Omicron variant. Who wants to join me in a primal scream? - Nooooooooooo!!
My assigned twin word for resilience is perseverance. One goes with the other and we have witnessed both on display with our tennis athletes this past year. Here are the tennis players to which I would gladly assign the R & P label (Resilience and Perseverance). I know I will leave someone out – yeah the memory thing - so feel free to suggest who are your picks for this label.
Andy Murray – (What? You think he wasn’t going to be the first player on my list?) His resilience and perseverance returning from hip surgery is very inspiring even as he continues to mumble, grumble and cuss his way on court….Some things do not change.
Carla Suarez-Navarro - A champ in my book giving a thumb in the eye to that thing that starts with a C by deciding she will not let that thing have the final word on her career. She wanted to retire on her terms and that she did with her gorgeous cross court OHBH she played the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Oh and by the way represented her country in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021.) I salute you fellow survivor you had me in tears a time or two.
Rebecca Marino – returned to tennis after something like 5 years away (having dealt with depression), and having to start at the very bottom. She also had to deal with a long-term injury and her father's death after her return. Resilience indeed.
Emma Raducanu – She deserves the R & P label after her melt down making it to the fourth round at Wimbledon when she retired due to panic attacks. Then smoothly and elegantly went on to win the US Open as a qualifier! She went from #338 to #19 in four months! At Wimbledon she was the No. 10-ranked Brit on the WTA rankings, and now she’s just the fifth British woman ever to reach the Top 20 on the WTA rankings. Criticize the over hype about her but not the inner strength this 18 year old displayed in reaching and winning the 2021 USO. Yep R & P!
Novak Djokovic – for all the right reasons including his rebound after the Olympics melt down. Hey just look at a common denominator for slam winner.. Uh huh! Enough said.
Ash Barty - 2021 Wimbledon champ. Ash did not play in 2020 and committed to the tour even though it meant that she would spend close to 9 months away from her home and family.
Belinda Bencic – Resilience and perseverance got her an Olympic Gold determined to regain her form after injury that derailed her for a couple of years.
Alex Zevrev – He won gold and am trying to be very fair minded and will admit that other stuff got in the way for me. Nevertheless he deserves a non asterisk R & P.
Leylah Fernandez – That never give up attitude got her to the final of the USO. There is a another twin (or wait triplet) word that can be used for some players – Persistent. Interchangeable with perseverance? Sure! Take your pick. Am not picky. Leylah was persistent- and then some.....
Danil Medvedev – because why not? Although dog with a bone comes to mind when I think of his playing style – ha his whole body and the way he moves can be classified as resilient!
There are so many players to whom we can legitimately say "they resemble those words." These are in no particular order:
Ladies:
Paula Badosa, Ons Jabeur, Anett Kontaveit, Petra Kvitova, Su-wei Hsieh/Elise Merten, Katarina Siniakova/ Barbara Krejickova
Men:
Frances Tiafoe, Jannik Sinner, Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz
I think of Matteo Berrettini, who finished the season ranked No.7 despite several injuries during the year. He made the Wimby finals and won 2 tourneys, including his first ATP 500, the Queen's Club Championships.
Casper Ruud, the year-end No.8. After being deemed a clay-court specialist, Ruud showed he had developed a strong hard court game as well.
Cameron Norrie. At age 26 Norrie reached a year-end ranking of No.12. In 2021 he won two titles, including the prestigious Indian Wells Masters. Yeah for the Brit!!
I could not help but think of others quietly pushing through injury, pain and surgeries and the battle with the relentless thing called time. We can legitimately think of them as belonging to this group, Of course I am thinking about Roger, Rafa, Del Potro, Warwinka, Serena.
We are looking forward of course. That’s what we do full of anticipation and expectations for an enjoyable and competitive 2022 tennis season. Fans are very resilient - we have to be. Looking for something better in 2022 and more nail biting, blood pressure raising close matches without the darn virus. Cheers!
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